Judges 6:1-10

The Midianites Oppresses Israel

1 The {Israelites} did evil in the eyes of Yahweh, and Yahweh gave them into the hand of the Midianites for seven years.

2 The hand of the Midianites prevailed over Israel; because of the presence of the Midianites, the {Israelites} made for themselves hiding places that [were] in the mountains, caves, and strongholds.

3 And whenever Israel sowed seed, the Midianites, Amalekites, and the people of [the] east would come up against them.

4 They would camp against them and destroy the produce of the land {as far as} Gaza; they left no produce in Israel, or sheep, ox, or donkey.

5 For they, their livestock, and their tents would come up like a great number of locusts; they and their camels could not be counted; they came into the land and devoured it.

6 Israel was very poor because of the presence of the Midianites, and the {Israelites} cried out to Yahweh.

7 When the {Israelites} cried out to Yahweh on account of the Midianites,

8 Yahweh sent a prophet to the {Israelites}, and he said to them, "Thus says Yahweh the God of Israel: 'I brought you up from Egypt; I brought you from the house of slavery.

9 I delivered you from the hand of Egypt and from the hand of all your oppressors, and drove them out from {before you}; and I gave you their land.

10 And I said to you, 'I [am] Yahweh your God; do not fear the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you [are] living.' But you have not listened to my voice."

Judges 6:1-10 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO JUDGES 6

In this chapter we have an account of the distressed condition Israel was in through the Midianites, Jud 6:1-6, of a prophet being sent unto them to reprieve them for their sins, Jud 6:7-10 of an angel appearing to Gideon, with an order to him to go and save Israel out of the hands of the Midianites, Jud 6:11-16 and of a sign given him by the angel, whereby he knew this order was of God, Jud 6:17-24, and of the reformation from idolatry in his father's family he made upon this, throwing down the altar of Baal, and building one for the Lord, Jud 6:25-32, and of the preparation he made to fight the Midianites and others, Jud 6:33-35, but first desired a sign of the Lord, that Israel would be saved by his hand, which was granted and repeated, Jud 6:36-40.

Footnotes

• [a]. Literally "sons/children of Israel"
• [b]. Hebrew "Midianite"
• [c]. Hebrew "Midianite"
• [d]. Hebrew "Midianite"
• [e]. Literally "sons/children of Israel"
• [f]. Hebrew "Midianite"
• [g]. Hebrew "Amalekite"
• [h]. Literally "until your coming to"
• [i]. Hebrew "Midianite"
• [j]. Literally "sons/children of Israel"
• [k]. Literally "sons/children of Israel"
• [l]. Hebrew "Midianite"
• [m]. Literally "sons/children of Israel"
• [n]. Hebrew "slaves"
• [o]. Literally "your face/presence"
• [p]. Or "revere"
• [q]. Hebrew "Amorite"